On March 13, 2026, the Project Office for Arctic Development (PORA) in Moscow hosted an off-site event of the Northern Forum on Sustainable Development — a joint expert session titled "Arctic in an Era of Change." The event brought together leading experts, representatives of science, business, and government to comprehensively discuss the key issues of Arctic development amid transformative change.
ARCTIC IN AN ERA OF CHANGE
On March 13, 2026, the Project Office for Arctic Development (PORA) in Moscow hosted an off-site event of the Northern Forum on Sustainable Development — a joint expert session titled "Arctic in an Era of Change." The event brought together leading experts, representatives of science, business, and government to comprehensively discuss the key issues of Arctic development amid transformative change.
The first panel session, dedicated to Arctic tourism, was moderated by Vladimir Vasilyev, Executive Director of the Northern Forum. Participants focused on striking the right balance between unlocking the tourism potential of the Arctic and preserving the uniqueness of its territories. The highlight of the session was the presentation of the draft Concept for Tourism Development in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation through 2035, prepared by the Northern Forum's Working Group on Tourism under the leadership of Tatyana Menshikova.
The second panel session, devoted to climate change in the Arctic and adaptation measures, was moderated by Olga Sanarova, Chair of the Organising Committee of the Russian Partnership for Climate Conservation. The session opened with the ceremonial signing of cooperation agreements between the Northern Forum and the Nature and People Foundation, as well as between PORA and the Arctic Science Centre of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Participants also discussed preparations for COP31.
The programme concluded with a roundtable on Arctic transport corridors, moderated by Maxim Dankin, Director General of PORA. Speakers — including Vladislav Maslennikov, Director of the Department of European Affairs of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — examined the geopolitical challenges and technological solutions for the development of the Northern Sea Route and the integration of Arctic logistics into global supply chains. The discussions benefited from the participation of distinguished experts, including professors from Moscow State University, MGIMO, and the Higher School of Economics, providing a deep and multifaceted perspective on the current challenges and prospects of the Arctic.
The Northern Forum extends its gratitude to the PORA Expert Centre for its longstanding partnership and for providing the venue, and to all moderators, speakers, and participants for the substantive discussions and their contribution to advancing the Arctic agenda.
